Why Q needs U and how hieroglyphics created our alphabet, with Danny Bate

Podcast: Grammar Girl (LS 65 · TOP 0.05% what is this?)Episode: Why Q needs U and how hieroglyphics created our alphabet, with Danny BatePub date: 2025-10-16Get Podcast Transcript →powered by Listen411 - fast audio-to-text and summarization1125. This week, we talk with linguist and author Danny Bate about his book, "Why Q Needs U." We look at the ancient origins of our alphabet, tracing its conceptual leap from Egyptian hieroglyphs to symbols that represent sounds. Danny explains the "acrophonic principle" (one sound from a picture) and why the letter A was originally a consonant, not a vowel. Find Danny Bate on his website, Bluesky or on X. Get the book, "Why Q Needs U."Listen to Danny's podcast, "A Language I Love Is..."🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.🔗 Subscribe to the newsletter.🔗 Take our advertising survey. 🔗 Get the edited transcript.🔗 Get Grammar Girl books. 🔗 Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference. | HOST: Mignon Fogarty| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.Audio Engineer: Dan FeierabendDirector of Podcast: Holly HutchingsAdvertising Operations Specialist: Morgan ChristiansonMarketing and Video: Nat Hoopes, Rebekah Sebastian| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.| Grammar Girl Social Media: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon. Bluesky. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from QuickAndDirtyTips.com, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.